Vision

The George Washington Carver Community Center envisions becoming a national model for community transformation—a vibrant, all-in-one hub where lives are enriched, potential is realized, and communities flourish through opportunity, connection, and purpose.

Mission

Deliver dynamic, multi-generational programs that cultivate character, spark ambition, and support lifelong well-being through recreation, learning, wellness, and civic engagement.

History

The newly reimagined George Washington Carver Community Center stands as a vital beacon in the heart of Peoria, uplifting the lives of all who walk through its doors and enriching the community as a whole.

Our revitalized center has become a dynamic gathering place where youth, adults, and seniors come together through transformative programs and meaningful opportunities that nurture personal growth and strengthen community bonds.

In our commitment to serving Peoria to its fullest potential, we’ve completed a major renovation and expansion of the entire facility. These improvements were thoughtfully designed to create a more welcoming, inclusive, and inspiring environment—one that supports the evolving needs of individuals and families across every stage of life.

Highlights of our transformation include:

• A fully renovated and expanded auditorium and performing arts center, offering a vibrant venue for performances and events.

• The addition of a dedicated visual and fine arts room, along with two flexible multi-purpose rooms for classes, tutoring, and special events.

• A refreshed game and social activity room to encourage connection and recreation.

• The creation of a youth and young adult media and cultural center to foster creativity and engagement.

• New spaces such as an art gallery, a community health education and wellness room, and a micro job training and career incubator center to support lifelong learning and economic empowerment.

• An expanded, modernized kitchen to support nutrition programs and community gatherings.

• A thoughtfully redesigned senior center room to re-engage and better serve our aging population.

• Upgrades to the fitness room, banquet hall, staff offices, and community meeting rooms to ensure all spaces are welcoming and fully functional for community use.

• A brand-new gymnasium floor provides a high-quality surface for athletes of all ages to enjoy.

In addition to these program-specific upgrades, we also invested in essential infrastructure improvements, including a new roof, wall repairs, air conditioning, electrical rewiring, updated restrooms, and modern technology systems. For the safety and well-being of our guests, we implemented a high-quality security system throughout the building, ensuring secure access and smooth operation of activities taking place across our center.

We’ve been hard at work, and that work is transforming lives. At the George Washington Carver Community Center, we’re not just building programs; we’re building a stronger, more united Peoria. We believe in the power of community, and we believe in Peoria.

Celebrating 100 Years

Employees

Board

Richard Pryor (1940-2005)

In the spring of 1955, a young, 14-year-old kid named Richard Pryor first walked into the Carver Center. He joined Juliette Whittaker’s Youth Theater Guild and was cast in a minor role in Rumpelstiltskin. However, when the actor playing the king didn’t show up for rehearsal, Richard took over the role and had the rest of the cast (and Miss Whittaker) in tears. It was the world-renowned comedian and actor’s first appearance on stage.

For more than a year, the Carver Center was Richard’s home away from home, and Juliette was his mentor and surrogate mother. In fact, before Mel Brooks and Lily Tomlin, Juliette was Richard’s first writing partner, taking the stories Richard would make up and giving them structure. Not only did Richard learn to write and perform under Juliette’s tutelage, he also learned about race in America and politics in Peoria. She took him to local plays and the former Lakeview Museum, while encouraging him to learn more about the world around him.

As he grew older, Juliette made Richard the emcee at the Carver Center talent shows, which would be packed with hundreds of kids. It was his first time performing comedy before a large audience and he soon built up a following. He not only told jokes but did impressions of well-known people in the community. But his favorite character was an invention of his own: a black superhero too poor buy his own suit, named the Rummage Sale Ranger.

Richard left Peoria a few years later, striking out on his own and soon found success and fame in the comedy world and the rest is history. But Richard never forgot where he came from and helped financially support the Carver Center over the years.